New Bedford Festival Theatre is proud to host acclaimed actress Taylor Schilling as its Guest of Honor this July, for a special visit to the City of New Bedford.

In addition to recognizing Ms. Schilling for her outstanding success in the arts, her presence also adds to the excitement and celebration of the company’s 30th anniversary year. Best known for her leading role as Piper Chapman in the hit TV show Orange is the New Black, Ms. Schilling has received both a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series as well as two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy and Best
Actress in a Television Series Drama. Film credits include: “The Lucky One,” “The Overnight,” “The Public,” “Take Me” and “FAMILY.”

On the evening of July 20, Ms. Schilling will attend the company’s summer production of Mamma Mia, followed by a special ticketed reception where the community can meet the actress in person. This event will take place Saturday, July 20th, from 9:30 PM to 10:30 PM at the Penler Space which adjoins the Zeiterion Theatre located at 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford. Attendees will have a chance to meet Ms. Schilling, plus enjoy a cash bar and light hors d’oeuvres.

Tickets may be purchased for $40. Attendance is limited and tickets are anticipated to sell out quickly. To purchase tickets, visit taylorschilling.eventbrite.com.

St. Anne’s Credit Union remains committed to the future of the youth in the local SouthCoast community and for over 25 years has awarded more than $300,000 to local students through the St. Anne’s scholarship program. Recently, as a demonstration of this commitment, St. Anne’s Credit Union awarded the eighth annual Deacon Bernard G. Theroux Scholarship to a deserving student at St. Stanislaus School in Fall River. This year’s recipient is seventh-grader, Sophie DeOliveira.

This $500 scholarship is named in honor of Deacon Bernard G. Theroux, a recently departed Honorary Director of the Credit Union’s Board of Directors who devoted over 60 years of service to the Credit Union and its members and whose philanthropic spirit will continue to live on through this honorable scholarship.

Pictured left to right: Sophie’s mother; Simone Garant, St. Anne’s Credit Union Board Member and Treasurer; Sophie DeOliveira (scholarship recipient); and Eileen Danahey, St. Anne’s Credit Union President & CEO.

A blood drive will be held on Saturday, July 27th from 10 am – 3pm at Empire Ford of New Bedford at 395 Mt. Pleasant Street.

Help Empire Ford of New Bedford meet the needs of the seriously ill and injured. Every day in the U.S. roughly 41,000 blood donations are needed. Every donation will help save 3 lives! Blood products are essential for the treatment of accident victims, surgical and sickle cell disease patients, those receiving cancer treatments, premature babies and others. Every day in the US roughly 41,000 donations are needed. That means nearly every two seconds someone needs blood.

Please PRE-REGISTER Today:
1. Call Empire Ford at 508-996-5611, ext. 6118
2. Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767)
3. Go to redcrossblood.org
4. Download the Blood Donor app

The event will be held at Empire Ford of New Bedford, located at 395 Mt. Pleasant St., New Bedford. For more information, visit our website: https://www.empirefordofnewbedford.com/blood-drive.htm or visit our Facebook Event at: https://www.facebook.com/events/2236051289840870/

The New Bedford Health Department, working closely with the Bristol County Mosquito Control Project and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, is again this year conducting an annual monitoring program to track the potential threat from EEE and WNV carrying mosquitoes. Under the program, mosquito traps are put in place to collect pools of mosquitoes and mosquito populations are monitored throughout the summer months.

As part of the mosquito tracking program, the New Bedford Health Department will request that the BCMCP target key areas of the New Bedford for spraying, including public parks and locations that host large public events.

As such, the Bristol County Mosquito Control Project will conduct targeted ground spraying for mosquitoes early on the morning of Thursday, July 11, 2019. This round of spraying will target areas including Buttonwood Park, Brooklawn Park, Fort Taber, Hazelwood Park, Riverside Park, Clasky Common Park, Ashley Park, the Poor Farm area, Custom House Square and the downtown area. Spraying will take place between 2:00 am and sunrise on Thursday morning, weather permitting. Residents in the vicinity of the targeted areas may wish to close their windows this evening prior to the spraying.

The precautionary measures that are advised for EEE and WNV include the following:

Avoid Mosquito Bites

Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours – While mosquitoes are out at all hours of the day, their peak biting times are from dusk to dawn. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning. Otherwise, take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing, especially if you work or spend a lot of time outdoors.

Clothing Can Help Reduce Mosquito Bites. Although it may be difficult to do when it’s hot, wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.

Apply Insect Repellent when you go outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age. Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear and should not be applied to skin.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home

Drain Standing Water – Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or getting rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change water in birdbaths frequently.

Install or Repair Screens – Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all windows and doors.

Congratulations to New Bedford’s five newest police officers, sworn in today and joined by Mayor Jon Mitchell, Council President Linda Morad, Chief Joseph Cordero, Deputy Chief Paul Oliveira, and Police Chaplain Rev. David Lima.

United Way of Greater New Bedford’s Mobile Market is launching its fifth season on July 9th in New Bedford. Mobile Market provides free, locally grown, fresh produce to low-income working families in Greater New Bedford. This year, in addition to its 2 locations in New Bedford, Mobile Market is expanding to Wareham to serve more residents.

The Mobile Market’s primary focus is to remove the barriers that families often face when accessing fresh produce. By offering free produce after traditional work hours, families are given access to fruits, vegetables, eggs, and other produce they might not otherwise be able to obtain due to financial restraints or the hours traditional food pantries are open. Last year, United Way’s Mobile Market served 225 low-income, working families and individuals from July to October.

“Over the past 4 years, Mobile Market has provided a valuable service by providing healthier options to families and individuals in New Bedford,” said Michelle N. Hantman, President & CEO. “Now that the New Bedford Mobile Markets have steady followings and are running well, it’s time to expand our reach – this year we are thrilled to be able to expand to Wareham and make a larger impact.

All markets are held from 5:30-7pm and will be available at each site every other week. Distribution begins Tuesdays in the North End of New Bedford at the BankFive located at 1724 Acushnet Ave. on July 9th, Tuesdays in Wareham at 24 Sandwich Road beginning July 16th, and Thursdays in the South End of New Bedford at BankFive located at 160 County St. beginning July 11th. For the full schedule, visit unitedwayofgnb.org/mobile-market.

The fresh produce distributed is grown locally by Sharing the Harvest Community Farm at the YMCA Southcoast Dartmouth. The Mobile Market New Bedford is sponsored by BankFive, whose employees also volunteer at many of the Mobile Markets throughout the season. Southcoast Health also supports the efforts by providing additional produce from their weekly farmers markets and by having its Mobile Health Van on site on select weeks for free health screenings.

Qualifying families and individuals are invited to visit the Mobile Market every other week. Photo ID and proof of earned income are required. Families and individuals who do not qualify for Mobile Market are encourage to call 2-1-1 for information about local food pantries, many of which also provide fresh produce during the summer months in addition to bread, meat, and other food items.

To learn more about the Mobile Market, the Hunger Commission or United Way of Greater New Bedford, please visit unitedwayofgnb.org.

Rachel Perry, a seventeen-year-old senior at Old Rochester Regional High School, will travel to Orlando, FL to represent Massachusetts at the 16th annual Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Scholarship Pageant. From July 20 through July 27, fifty-one national contestants will be welcomed to Orlando for a week of press events, rehearsals, and community appearances leading up to the selection of Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2020. London Hibbs of Texas, the reigning MAOTeen, will be crowning her successor on Saturday evening, July 27.

For over 99 years, the Miss America Organization has been helping young women achieve their goals and dreams. 51 contestants, each representing their states along with the District of Columbia, will showcase their talents and compete for over $150,000 in scholarship assistance and the opportunity to travel the United States promoting scholastic achievement, creative accomplishment, healthy living and community service for America’s teens. Since its inception in 2005, the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen pageant, known as “the little sister of the Miss America Pageant” has become one of the top scholarship providers for teen girls in the United States. Each year, MAOTeen, along with its state and local organizations, has made available millions in cash and tuition assistance to young women across the country.

Perry, competing as an At-Large contestant, won the title of Miss Massachusetts’ Outstanding Teen in April at the state competition in New Bedford. Rachel is currently ranked first in her class and is enrolled in all Honors and 4 Advanced Placement courses. She is on the Highest Honors list and is a member of the National Honor Society. As a dual enrollment student, she has a 4.0 GPA in her college courses. Rachel has been accepted to Cornell University as a junior, but will defer entry until the fall of 2020 in order to fulfill her obligations as MMAOTeen. Her accomplishments outside of the classroom are many. She is a multi-sport athlete, is a member of the Student Council, is active in St. John Neuman’s parish, and has produced and performs musical productions at many local nursing facilities throughout the Greater New Bedford Area. She is a member of the Boy Scouts of America. An accomplished musician, Rachel plays twelve instruments. For her talent in the pageant, she performs an energetic and entertaining Rock Fiddle performance to Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way”. On Sunday July 14, she will be feted at a send-off reception hosted by her family and state committee at the Point Independence Yacht Club in Onset to wish her well on her journey to the national competition.

Rachel is using her title as Miss Massachusetts’ Outstanding Teen to spread awareness through her platform entitled “Healing Song: Mending Minds.” She chose this platform after suffering a concussion during springboard diving practice. She states, “I found that music helped in my concussion recovery. Now I want to share the benefits of music with others who have experienced a concussion or Traumatic Brain Injury.” She engages her audiences with music in her public speaking engagements to let them experience the powerful effects of music on the brain. As MMAOTeen, Rachel will also be working on behalf of the Children’s Miracle Network and Boston Children’s Hospital during the year. CMNH is the National Platform of the MAOTeen and Miss America Organizations. Her career ambition is to graduate with a degree in hotel administration and become a commercial real estate investor. Rachel is the daughter of Deborah and Mark Perry of New Bedford.

Here’s a look at some highlights from the Run to End Addiction at Bridgewater State University in June. It was hosted by Teen Challenge Massachusetts

Effective 4:45pm, July 4th 2019, per order of the Board of Health Swift’s Neck Beach is closed to bathing until further notice.

Water samples taken on 7/2/2019 and 7/3/2019 did not meet sampling requirements. Due to the high level of bacteria, swimming is not advised and may cause illness.

Sampling will resume 7/9/2019. For more information contact the Wareham Board of Health.

Ronald McLean, President/CEO of the Cooperative Credit Union Association, Inc. (CCUA), on behalf of Massachusetts Credit Unions, along with members of the Massachusetts Credit Unions Social Responsibility Committee presented a check to the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless (Coalition) in the amount of $202,725 at the 3rd Annual Stephen D. Jones Credit Union Charity Golf Tournament in support of “A Bed for Every Child” campaign.

“The idea of so many children throughout Massachusetts not having their own bed is undreamed-of,” said McLean. “Massachusetts Credit Unions have banded together to ensure every child has a place to dream. We believe in the good work that the Coalition accomplishes and are happy to do our part in helping children get a good night’s sleep to prepare them for a better future.”

Massachusetts Credit Unions have supported the Coalition for more than two decades surpassing more than $2 million in donations and providing blankets, toys and books to help families in need. In 2018, Massachusetts Credit Unions raised $202,725 through efforts including the Stephen D. Jones Charity Golf Tournament and a variety of credit union-driven initiatives. The need for “A Bed for Every Child” reaches all cities and towns in Massachusetts; no city or town is sheltered. Paul Marotta, chair of Massachusetts Credit Unions Social Responsibility Committee, shares his overwhelming gratitude for the collaborative efforts of credit unions demonstrating the credit union founding principle of people helping people for such an important cause.

A Bed for Every Child began when a concerned inner city, public school teacher reached out to the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless. At the time, the teacher was seeing an increase in the number of students who did not have a bed of their own. As a result, these students were coming to school tired and not ready to learn. According to Robyn Frost, Executive Director, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, “There is no one face to a child receiving a bed, but they do have one thing in common, and that is, they are growing up in poverty in Massachusetts.” Frost shares, “The ability for A Bed for Every Child to keep up with the demand continues to outpace the Coalition’s capacity. We are extremely fortunate to have the Massachusetts Credit Unions as our partner.”

To learn more about Massachusetts Credit Unions visit www.bettervaluesbetterbanking.com. To learn more about A Bed for Every Child, visit www.abedforeverychild.org.

Several members of the MA CUs Social Responsibility Committee along with CCUA President/CEO presented 2018 donation to Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless initiative “A Bed for Every Child.” Pictured Left to right are: Charlene Bauer, Metro Credit Union; Ronald McLean, CCUA; Rui Domingos, Naveo Credit Union; Mark Cochran, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union on behalf of the Stephen Jones Family; Kevin Zipps, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union; Tina Baptista, MA Coalition for the Homeless; Paul Marotta, Hanscom Federal Credit Union; David Plantier, MassMutual Federal Credit Union; and Peter Panaggio, St. Anne’s Credit Union of Fall River, Mass. Missing members of the committee include: Sarita Ledani, RTN Federal Credit Union; Robert Lockett, Workers’ Credit Union; Melissa Morin, Credit Union of the Berkshires; Jon Reske, UMassFive College Federal Credit Union.

________________________________________________________

About Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
The mission of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless is to eradicate homelessness from the commonwealth of Massachusetts. It aims to meet this mission through advocacy, developing and maintaining membership and support, public education, and creation of programs and initiatives to empower all people in Massachusetts to have a place to call home. Learn more at mahomeless.org.

About the Cooperative Credit Union Association
The Cooperative Credit Union Association is a regional trade organization serving as the voice for nearly 200-member credit unions located primarily throughout Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. CCUA members hold combined assets in excess of $45 billion and serve a collective membership base of more than 2.3 million consumers. It’s on behalf of these member credit unions that CCUA advocates before Congress and state legislatures, regulatory bodies and the general public through its Better Values—Better Banking consumer awareness campaign.

In addition to advocacy, CCUA also engages its members with an array of industry resources, from compliance assets and marketing support to vetted products and service providers; an array of educational workshops and conferences; and a variety of communication channels that include a daily e-newsletter, live and recorded video programs, and a quarterly magazine focused on CCUA’s advocacy initiatives. For more information, visit www.CCUA.org.